When The Rain Starts to Pour
by FallenAngel218
Summary: Tony helps Tim veer off the path of destructive behavior, as Tim copes with the reality of what happened to Delilah. Episode Tag to "Double Back."


**_Notes: _****_Written for the NFA Tipsy Challenge. Episode Tag to "Double Back."_**

"Come on, McStagger, let's get you inside," Tony said as he pushed his apartment door open. He guided a stumbling Tim inside.

"Tonyyyy! I'm fust jibe-no, that's not it-jufins-"

"You're not 'just fine,' McGee. Come on, it's time to go to bed."

Tony tried to lead him over to the couch, but Tim stumbled and fell to the floor, taking Tony down with him.

"What the hell was that?" Tony said as he pushed himself off of Tim.

Tim sat up and looked down at his lap in a childlike manner.

"Sorry."

Tony sighed and sat back on his knees, to be at level with Tim.

"What's going on, Probie? This isn't like you."

"Dunno." He clumsily scrubbed a hand across his face. "Tired. Need to lie down."

"Are you ready to try for the couch?" Tony asked. He was more than okay with Tim sleeping it off at his place, but he wasn't going to leave him on the floor.

Tim nodded. Tony crawled over to Tim and wrapped a supporting arm around his waist.

"Okay, we'll get up nice and slow. Ready?"

Tim nodded. Tony could tell that Tim was avoiding the embarrassment of slurring his words again. Tony didn't blame him one bit for that. He'd finally made it to his knees, when he felt Tim's body go slack in his arms. Tim was passed out cold.

"Awesome. Come on, Probie," he said, heaving Tim up with him, until they were semi-standing. Tony managed to get him to the couch, and put a pillow down as he laid Tim down . Tim continued to sleep as Tony grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and spread it over Tim. As Tim slept soundly, Tony recalled the past couple of hours, and wondered what would have happened, had he not found Tim.

Two hours earlier… approximately 11 p.m…

_Tony said goodbye to his friends as he left McGinty's pub. It was a school night, as he liked to call it, and he wanted to turn in early, for once, and get Gibbs off his back about dragging his feet. As he unlocked his car, he felt his cell phone vibrate in his back pocket. He quickly took it out and checked caller ID._

_"What's up, McGoo?" Tony said lightly. He did not get a response back from Tim. "Hello? McGee? Are you there-" he stopped talking and started listening to the background noise. It sounded as if Tim had pocket dialed him. It sounded like Tim was in a bar._

_Tony got into his car and started it up as he listened in on Tim._

"Give me another!"

_He heard the bartender's muffled voice, and then silence for a few more moments._

"I said I want another drink, damn it!"

_Was this the McGee he knew? It certainly didn't sound like it. He waited in the parking lot of McGinty's as he listened, hoping to get an idea of where Tim was. Suddenly, he heard a scuffle, and Tim yelped, as if someone were hurting him. He heard the jangle of a door opening, and then a thud._

"You ain't welcome at Casey's… don't come back, punk!"

_Casey's… Tony had heard that name before. He racked his brain, trying to think of a bar with 'Casey' in the name. A name suddenly hit him, and he hoped to God he was wrong. He left McGinty's and started to drive across town to the Casey Jones Bar - a place he knew to be a biker bar, one of the most dangerous bars close the the Navy Yard._

_Tony left his phone on speaker as he drove, listening to Tim. He sounded like he was outside, possibly walking God knows where. He heard the sound of passing cars, and then he heard Tim's voice again._

"From the halls of montezuuuuumaaaa to the shoorreees of tripo-tru-tripoli… we will fight our country's baaatttlesss…"

_Was he really walking down the street, singing the Marine Hymn at the top of his lungs? Tony had to chuckle at the absurdity, but diligently drove toward his friend, concerned for Tim's altered state. He listened to Tim the entire time, amazed that the phone call did not disconnect. Tim got through the Marine hymn, and silence fell over the line again. Tony could still hear him walking. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a car horn, and someone shouting._

"What the hell are you doing! Do you want to get killed!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!"

"Get out of the road before you get hit!"

_Tony heard running._

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

_Tony started to get really worried as he neared the neighborhood that housed the Casey Jones bar. He parked his car and headed inside. He went straight for the bartender, shoving his badge in the man's face._

_"There was a man in here, who got thrown out. He was drunk and rowdy."_

_"I throw out a lot of rowdy people. You have to give me more than that."_

_"He doesn't belong in a place like this. Brown hair, maybe a trench coat…"_

_"Oh, you mean the geek? I threw his ass out about 15 minutes ago. He tried to hit me when I wouldn't serve him again."_

_"Did anyone see which way he went?"_

_"I think he started walking toward 13th street."_

_"Thanks."_

_"Anytime."_

_Tony left the bar and jumped back into his car. He started driving toward 13th street. He passed the intersection without seeing Tim. He drove a bit further, and slowed when he saw a figure lying on a bench inside a bus stop, curled up._

_Tim._

_Tony stopped his car and got out, and walked toward the bus stop._

_"McGee?"_

_Tim shifted, but didn't sit up._

_"McGee," Tony said, putting a hand on Tim's shoulder. "It's Tony."_

_Tim rolled onto his back and sat up._

_"What are you doing here?"_

_"You pocket dialed me, McSmartyPants. I heard you get kicked out of Casey Jones. What were you doing in a place like that?"_

_"Drinkin."_

_"There are lots of other bars to drink at. Why did you choose the most dangerous bar in a six-block radius of the Navy Yard?"_

_"Weeee!" Tim suddenly squealed, stumbling forward. Tony caught him and hitched Tim's arm around his shoulders._

_"All right, McDrunk, you're done for tonight. I'm taking you home."_

_"From the halls of montezuuummmmaaaaaa….."_

_"On second thought, maybe you should sober up at my place."_

_Tony wrestled Tim into the backseat and shut the door. He climbed into the driver's seat and headed for his apartment, Tim belting out the Marine Hymn in the backseat._

Tony stood there a few more minutes, to make sure Tim was all right, then headed into his room, changed and went to bed. He hoped Tim would be more adept to talking in the morning.

**NCISNCISNCIS**

The bathroom door woke Tony out of a sound sleep. He squinted at the digital clock. It was 5:30 in the morning. He sat up and started to get out of bed, until he heard the toilet seat go up, followed by the sound of heaving.

Tony waited until he heard the toilet flush, then got out of bed and went across the hall to the bathroom. He knocked lightly on the door. Tim opened the door, looking pale and sickly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like crap."

"You look like crap."

"Thanks a lot, Tony."

"Are you up for a cup of coffee?"

Tim nodded. Tony left him alone to go start the coffee. TIm joined him in the kitchen a few minutes later. Tony poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Tim.

"Thanks."

Tony nodded and poured himself a cup.

"You take anything in your coffee?"

"Black is good." Tim sat down at the small kitchen table.

Tony added creamer to his coffee, and joined Tim at the table.

"What's going on, Tim?"

"Nothing."

"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You'd rather drink yourself stupid, then?"

"That was pretty stupid."

"That's an understatement."

"What happened to me?"

"I don't know how you got there, but when you butt dialed me, I heard you running down the street, singing the Marine Hymn at the top of your lungs."

"Great, I embarrassed myself in front of half of DC."

"You're damn lucky you butt dialed me. You could have died out there, and no one would have known where you were. Is that what you wanted?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why did you go the most dangerous bar in DC and make an ass of yourself?"

"I needed an escape," Tim admitted, taking a sip of his coffee. "It's just – everything. The explosion, Delilah's diagnosis, trying to get Parsa… I've always been able to keep a cool head, but I've got so much going on in my head right now. I guess I just wanted to dull the pain for a little while."

"Don't worry about Parsa, McGee. We'll get that asshole soon enough. Anyone who went through what you have in the past week could never handle it like you have. You've been by Delilah's side since the paramedics wheeled her into the hospital. You spread yourself too thin, and I can see why you finally cracked last night."

"How do I handle all of this, Tony? I'm not sure I can do this."

"You're doing great already! You've been with Delilah through this whole thing, even when her parents were there. Keep doing what you're doing."

"I love her so much, Tony…"

"I know."

Tim finished off his coffee.

"Thanks for finding me last night. I probably would have frozen to death in that bus stop, had I not pocket dialed you."

"Hey, you could have had it worse. You could have butt dialed Gibbs."

"I'd rather sleep in that bus stop."

Tony chuckled, and glanced at the microwave clock.

"Holy crap! It's 6:30! If we don't get our asses to work, Gibbs is going to skin us alive."

Tony put the mugs in the sink and headed to his bedroom. He came out a minute later with some clothes on his arm.

"This should fit you. We're about the same height."

Tim took the slacks and dress shirt.

"Thanks. I owe you for this."

"Oh, big time."

Tim smiled and went into the bathroom to get dressed.

They arrived at the Navy Yard right on time, and met Gibbs as he was boarding the elevator.

"Morning, Boss."

"Morning, McGee. DiNozzo."

The ride was silent. The elevator dinged at the squad room, and Tony got off first. Gibbs moved to get off, but stopped, and turned to Tim.

"Semper Fi, Tim," he said with a grin. Tim's face said it all as Gibbs got off the elevator, a big grin on his face, Tim behind him. Tim fished his phone out of his pocket and looked at his dialed calls from the previous night. His face paled as he saw the call dialed after Tony.

"Oh, crap."

**END**


End file.
